Annual Reviews
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF ANNUAL REVIEWS IS DEDICATED TO SYNTHESIZING AND INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE FOR THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY.
- Income
- $17.0 million
- Spending
- $21.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- -0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 91%
- Employees
- 125
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $540,191, president and editor-in-chief
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 112% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $12.8 million spent. JOURNALS - INCLUDES THE EDITING, PRODUCTION, SALES, PROMOTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CURRENT AND FUTURE VOLUMES OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW ARTICLES. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO STIMULATE AND ENCOURAGE THE ADVANCEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC SCHOLARLY DISCIPLINES AND TO FOSTER RESEARCH THEREIN.
- $2.2 million spent. KNOWABLE MAGAZINE - PUBLICATION OF A FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE WITH THE GOAL OF PRESENTING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IN A COMPELLING AND ACCESSIBLE FASHION. ALL CONTENT IS FREE TO READ, REUSE AND BE PRESENTED AS STANDALONE MATERIALS TO PROMOTE WIDESPREAD SHARING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
- $1.5 million spent. CHARLESTON CONFERENCE - HOSTING AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF LIBRARIANS, PUBLISHERS, ELECTRONIC RESOURCE MANAGERS, CONSULTANTS, AND VENDORS OF LIBRARY MATERIALS IN CHARLESTON, SC, IN NOVEMBER, TO DISCUSS ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO LIBRARIES AND SCHOLARLY PUBLISHERS.
- $448,477 spent. PERIODICALS - INCLUDES KATINA, AGAINST THE GRAIN, AND THE CHARLESTON ADVISOR. KATINA IS A DIGITAL PUBLICATION THAT ADDRESSES THE VALUE OF LIBRARIANS TO SOCIETY AND ELEVATES THEIR ROLE AS TRUSTED STEWARDS OF KNOWLEDGE. AGAINST THE GRAIN IS A DIGITAL PUBLICATION WITH THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT LIBRARIES, PUBLISHERS, BOOK JOBBERS, AND SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS, WITH A GOAL TO LINK PUBLISHERS, VENDORS, AND LIBRARIANS BY REPORTING ON THE ISSUES, LITERATURE, AND PEOPLE THAT IMPACT THE WORLD OF BOOKS AND JOURNALS. THE CHARLESTON ADVISOR WAS DISCONTINUED IN JULY 2024. IT WAS A PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION THAT REVIEWED PROPRIETARY AND FREE INTERNET RESOURCES THAT LIBRARIES LICENSE AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO THEIR PATRONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1948.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.